As intrepid souls we’re all finding lockdown challenging and we’re sure you are too. It’s not easy to tame the call of the wild! So we’ve come up with seven ingenious ways to help keep the explorer spirit within you burning bright while you’re confined to home. Let us know how you get along by tagging us on Instagram Plan your next adventure Dream big. Let nothing squash your dreams. Ignore all the practicalities, the possible restraints or reasons why you might not be able to. Want to climb the Matterhorn? Go swimming with sharks? Cross America on horseback? Plaster a huge map up on the wall, print out images, plan transport, and mark out routes. Read ALL the material on your journey or destination. Make contact with people who’ve done it and people who live there now. Learn the language. Goals take us out of the here and now. Let your imagination fly free. Let surround-sound nature fill your space Listen to birdsong while you work. Sounds a little daft perhaps but when we explore, the soundtrack to our travels comes from the wildlife around us. Birdsong is said to be simultaneously relaxing and productivity boosting. Your auditory landscape generates memories of times, places and seasons that will take you beyond your current four walls. While you’re at it, why not learn how to identify bird songs you can hear from your open window? Immerse yourself in real-life journeys of discovery A brilliant true story is The Salt Path by Raynor Winn. This inspirational book charts the route of a middle aged couple who lose everything they own, then set out as ‘homeless hikers’ to conquer the length of the South West Coast Path while Ray’s husband Moth battles a terminal illness. It’s an uplifting and surprising elegy to the restorative power of immersing yourself in nature. Can you light a fire? Practice those survival skills that would get you out of trouble on your next challenge. How quickly can you light a fire without matches? Can you keep it going? Of course we would recommend our Dual Action Fire Starter kit in normal times! Our kit has a ferrocerium spark rod that produces sparks at a toasty 2,980ºC and a magnesium rod that can be used to create highly flammable tinder shavings. Study the night sky Download a free astronomy app and learn how to spot the planets, stars, constellations, satellites, asteroids and the ISS. The long, dark nights of winter bring some benefits after all. Fancy going one giant leap for mankind further? Set yourself the goal of being able to navigate by the stars before the end of lockdown! Stay active for your mental and physical health Keep yourself fit so that when you’re free to tackle that hill, path, or climb again, you are in top form! Stuff your backpack with weights when you set out for your daily exercise. You might not be supposed to go far, but you can go heavy. Don’t be put off by the early evenings either - taking a bright and light head torch will light your path and extend your day. TV bingeing with a difference Why not find some adventure documentaries instead of bingeing on 2Fast2Furious? Five of our favourite adventure documentaries include: Losing Sight of Shore: follows the extraordinary journey of four women who set out to row more than 8,000 miles, unsupported across the Pacific Ocean from America to Australia. Nine months of extreme mental and physical challenges reveal the strength of friendship and the power of the human spirit. The Man Who Skied down Everest: An Oscar-winning documentary that tells the story behind Japanese daredevil Yuichiro Miura's 1970 effort to ski down the world's tallest mountain. The perilous trek to the summit gives way to footage of Miura's stunning descent, using a parachute to control his speed. Touching the Void: An absolute classic that bears multiple revisits! Tells the story of two young climbers who set out to be the first to reach the summit of the Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. Disaster strikes when Simpson breaks his leg in a fall, leaving Yates to lower him the rest of the way with ropes. When a storm threatens both their lives, Yates must decide whether to cut the rope and risk Simpson's death. The Road to Karakol: A self-shot film by Kyle Dempster that documents his attempt to cycle through the abandoned back streets of Kyrgyztan and climbing some of its remote peaks along the way. What starts as a somewhat happy-go-lucky adventure turns into something more serious, as Kyle finds his path home blocked. Also check out Eva zu Beck and Kraig Adams for a catalogue of inspirational solo journeys! Subscribe to our newsletter for 10% off and mojo-boosting adventure inspiration
